Land-based Sources of Pollution in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

摘要

The Niger Delta is one of the world's largest wetlands encompassing about 20 000 km~2 in southeastern Nigeria. The delta is a vast floodplain built up by the accumulation of sedimentary deposits washed down the Niger and Benue river (1). It is composed of 4 main ecological zones: coastal barrier islands, mangroves, freshwater swamp forest, and lowland rainforests. The mangrove forest area extends for 500 km from the mouth of Benin River in the west to the Imo River in the east. Along with a short strand coat in the Calabar to Rio del Rey estuary, mangrove vegetation extends over an area of 9000 km~2. This represents the largest mangrove forest in Africa.